System and educational appliance for military self-instruction



C. W. WRIGHT. SYSTEM AND EDUCATIONAL APPLIANCE FOB IvII ITAIIY SELF INSTRUCTION.

' APPLICATION FILED MA Yl3I 1918. 1,342,520.

Patented J M168, 1920.

F 19.4 I f? Q T I I T Corporal 3 F 2 F I F General Service Code Signal School of the Squad BEiNG IN L NE L- Change .dFeqt on to the Left On 9 a Mo "1% Plvot.

(See U. l.D.R. PannoJIB) B BEING 1 LINE OF PLATOONS Form a Column of Platoons. (See us. I.D.R.. Par. I78) 2 MARC 3. Squad 4. HALT (U5. I.D.R. Par. l2 SEMAPHORE.CODE SIGNAL k L ALSO, PREPARATOR) J Inventor W '1' if! Mttorngj/ =Cincinnati,-in the county of State of Ohio, have invented. new and uset onalAP gann-w warcnrgoipfiuc uuarr, onro.

Ami attest-stair. 1

:goa MILITARY sriLr-msrnucnom Patent.

... J ne 8, .1920.

4 'n "111th uavia sla Serial notes-4mm;

To all whom it may conceit: v Be- .it.known that I, CARR. a of the United States residing at Hiamilton and ful Improvements in S stems and Educa liances for Military Self-Instruction, of w 'ich the'following isaspec fication. 4 i

" My invention is in the nature of a system of sel'f instruction, relatin to the military art,carried out by means 0 suitably marked cards of an illustrative character consti;-. tuting a deck or pack, which provides theraw recruit and the student of Infantry Drill Regulations with a convenient means of visualizing and thus more easily comprehending and fixing in memory, the various movements and formations prescribed there'- in; all as more particularly setforth herein.v

Preferably the deck or pack numbering 53 cards may present on one face of each the features herein indicated relating to the drill formations and movements; and on the other face the conventional figures and indications of ordinary play-ingcards, or

others suitable for more pastime, or edu-' cational interest.

' -.Th preierred character-of the cards and s0 their arkifngs, out .m

.. y invention, are illustrated'i by i i dl ll samples shown in the accompanying draw in s in whichigure 1 represents the face of one of a group of the cards showing a diagram of a squad of infantry assembled in close order formation.

group of the cards containing problems in militar-yrdrill and shows the arrangement of" such'problems.

= corpora sergeant, lieutenant.

'of infantr Fig. .2 represents thefaceof one of a cdn'ibin'ed certain game or other features the nature of pastime interest as described;

Each of 14 of the'cards of the pack shows on the back a diagram representing a squad I .of' dimensions proportionate to those 0 a squad of infantry in actual service assembled in close order formation, (Fig.1). Each man of the squad is represented inthe diagram by a small rectangle bisected laterally by a line corresponding This withthe line of a mans shoulders. lateral lineis in turn bisectedby an arrow the base of which rests on the center of the lateral or shoulder line. This-arrowindicates the direction of the head, eyes and march. The position of each man in the squad is shown in the lower half of the rectangle in the following manner: Corporal is marked Corporal No. 3 private of the front rank (front indicated by letter rank is marked 2F; No. 1 private of the front rank is marked 1F. The men in the rear (reari indicatedaby'letter R) are and.1R respectively. Each of 39 of the cards (Fig. 2) contains on the back certain problems military drill corresponding with a paragraph or paragraphs of the ofiicial Infantry .Drill Regulations of the i-3rm ea.;.sm1-.es1 Army"(indicated by the letters U. Sf! I';'D.;R:) and also references to the paragraph or paragraphs of such regulations'describing and prescribing the movement orjformations necessary for the solution of; such problem or problems, These problems are divided into three," groups marked A, B and G respectively. Those of group A are numbered in the 'uppenrig-ht hand corner from 1 to 39 inelusive.

In addition to the deck or p ck of cards described, I provide a set of s all rectangular, independent units of card-board or other material (Fig. 3) corresponding in size and markings with the units shown on the backs of the 14 cards before mentioned.

These may be moved to any intermediate and final position in carrying out the predetailed illustration. There are suflicient of these to constitute two squads with the com-' plement of corporals, and other non-commissloned and commlssioned oflicers of a company of infantry, which may be colored to distinguish suitably.

is marked 3F; No. 2' private of the front so .thus m arke'd from left to right 4R; 3R; 2R;

I scribed movements of the squad; by way of On their "backs, severally, the 52 cards, constituting the pack proper may contain the indications usual upon ordinary pla ing cards of the figures and symbols indicating their character or relative value or indications relative to an other game played with cards; or printed or pictorial, indications suitable for instruction or pastime. The fifty-third card may be designated in an suitable manner as the joker.

n studyin I tions of the nited States the use the squad of company cards, representing squads assembled, the two groups of independent units, and those representing the non-commissioned and-commissioned oflicers of the company in the following 'r'fi'anner i First, in order to interpret the Infantry Drill Regulations, he can arrange the'company or a portion of it in the formation de scribed. at the beginning of a paragraph of such Infantry Drill Regulations, and then b'y movin g the squads, (Fig. 1) or rectangles, ig. 3) representing ally or collectively, text of the paragraph that he is endeavoring to understand. By this process he can see precisely how each man moves in executing the movement or formations and also why he must so move, and thus will more easily understand what he is reading. At the same time, in thus seeing how the movement is executed and why it is so executed, a permanent impressionwill be made on his mind. and his efficiency portionately increased. He will incidentally familiarize himself with the duties and movecalled for.

then begins with ments of every other man in the company; whereas, in actual drill it would be extremely di'fiicult to learn the duties of unless his superiors sawfit position frequently.

Second, he can use one prove his knowledge printed and illustrated cards.

He arranges order 1n ac right hand corners of paragraphs A and paragraph'A of card No. 1. He arranges his menin the formation called for at the beginning of that paragraph and then recalls what commands would be necessary and how they wohld be carried out in order to effect the movement After completion he turns to the paragraph of the Infantry Drill Regulations'to which the card refers and ascertains whether or nothe executed the move- -ment correctly. If he did not, or if his command were incorrect, the fact that he made a mistake coupled with his abilityto locate that mistake, will permanently fix the correct procedure in his mind and prevent the the Infantry. -Drill Regula- .P

student can men either indiv1du-. illustrate to himself the in actualdrill will be proother positions": to change his of the squads of independent unit rectangles and further im-l ofthe Schoolof the Squad-very effectively with the aid of the.

' ...Pre ri i itar t rm under a y curnstances that mayariseon the drill field.

occurrence or recurrence of the same v.iriis-.

next card from card. He continues in this way until he has gone through all the cards pertaining to the School ofthe Squad and he then takes up the cards pertaining to the Company and uses them the cards will in this way quickly the soldier-will take all of the cards containing printed matter and arrange them in groups in accordance with the first lines of paragraphs, B, i. e., he will place all :the cards, paragraphs B of which are Being in line in one group, Be-' headed ing in column of squads in another and so on. He then shuflles each group, after whichhe takes a card from thetop of the pile Being in line School of ,the in thesame way.v a'ragraphs A, in the numerical order of take him through a complete drill in all the close and ex-' and begins to work.

He recalls what commands are necessary to cause the execution of the movement called for and then carries them out. Having done so he turns to the paragraphs of the I. D. R. to which the card refers and sees whether or not he did it correctly. If, after the movement'is completed,-for example, the company being in column of squads, he' takes a card from the group headed Column of squads and continues the movement. This process can be keptup indefinitely, the cards artificiallycreating the contingencies as they would'arise on the drill field. In this way he w ill acquire an ability to think quickly cir- The cards will bring out the points of uncertainty which the student may not. have thought existed, thereby enabling him to strengthen 1118 points of; weakness off the drillfieldand ofiicers a great barrassmen't."

Fourth, in order to pqwer of visualization,

thereby save himself'and his the student may use deal of annoyance and em-" further iniprove his" the paragraphs C. These paragraphs con- I tain commands in the prescribed phraseolo and in running through the pack t e student can visualize the movements and formations called for, slowly at' first but later with gradually increased speed as the cards are dealtmore rapidly from the pack. In this way he will develop an ability to foresee movements instantly and know exactly what these results'will be, beforethey are carried out. v

Fifth, each day after drill he can use his card-board company to rehearse movements in which he or others erred, with or without the assistance of a non-commissioned or other ofiicer.

'Sixth, a corporal or other non-commissioned oflicer canjtake a group of men and assign one man to each squad or platoon, give the prescribed commands and have the men execute them with the card-board units or cards. In this Way the non-commissioned oflicer can correct points of uncertainty among his men, assist them to acquire the ability to lead squads, act as platoon guides or leaders and thus increase the efliciency of his men as Well as his own.

Seventh, by disregarding everything on the cards except the playing card indications, any game can be played that is played with the ordinary pack of 53 playin cards.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A setof cards comprising small units each suitably marked to represent a soldier or oflicer with his front or rear rank position and the direction he is facing indicated thereon; with other cards representing in like manner groups ofenlisted men below the rank of sergeant, in squad formation; said cards together adapted to be arranged in such contiguity as to correctly represent diagrammatically formations or movements of infantry organization.

2. A set or pack of playing cards comprising a series having upon their faces diagrammatic representations of squad of infantry soldiers with units in position, and

cards having upon their faces varied problems of evolutionary movements and formations as prescribed by the U. S. Drill Regulations to be worked out by appropriate use of the series cards.

3. The educational appliance consisting of a pack of cards containing statements of I juxtaposition to problems pertaining to evolutions such as would take place on a drill field in the ordinary drill practice, coupled with visual representations adapting them to use as a subquence of evolution by visualizing the same by use of the cards.

4:. A set or pack of playing cards comprising a series having on their faces diagrammatic representations of a squad formation of soldiers, and cards having on their faces varied problems of military evolution and commands appropriate thereto to be worked out by appropriate use of the series cards. I

5. A-set or pack of playing cards comprising a series having on their faces a diagrammatic representation of a squad formation of soldiers and cards havingon their faces statements in problematic form of military evolutions and appropriate commands relating thereto, all cards being provided on their backs with representative conventional symbols or pictorial illustrations for educational o'r pastime use. l

6. In combination with a set or pack of playing cards of the character indicated, containing diagrammatic representations of squad-formation, a plurality of card units representing severally a diagrammatic unit of company officers and movable in relative the principal cards herein described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in' presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARR W. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

Lnwrs M. HOSEA, S.. A. ROETTINGER. 

